Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Regal Yojamestown’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Regal Yojamestown’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; strong and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘REGAL YOJAMESTOWN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a pot-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regal Yojamestown’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar ‘Yojamestown’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,813. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled greenhouse environment as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Yojamestown’ in March, 2004, in Fort Myers, Fla.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fort Myers, Fla. in June, 2004. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regal Yojamestown’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regal Yojamestown’ as a new and distinct pot-type Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Strong and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   5. Uniform, freely and early flowering habit.     -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray         florets.     -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences         maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an         interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent, ‘Yojamestown’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower more uniformly than         plants of ‘Yojamestown’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Yojamestown’ differ in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Yojamestown’ have red         purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dark Pomona’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,842. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum primarily from plants of ‘Dark Pomona’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered one week earlier         than plants of ‘Dark Pomona’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Dark Pomona’ differed in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Dark Pomona’ had lighter         purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Regal Yojamestown’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada during the autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial pot-type Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 21° C. to 27° C., night temperatures ranged from about 17° C. to 19° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 6,000 foot candles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched about three weeks later. At the time of the pinch, the photoinductive short day/long night treatments were started. Plants used in the photograph and for the description were grown as natural sprays and were eleven week old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Regal     Yojamestown’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yojamestown’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.     No. 14,813. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of             21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous decorative pot-type Chrysanthemum             typically grown as a natural spray type. Compact; stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded             appearance to the plant. Freely branching habit, about five             lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex             (pinching); dense and full plant habit. Strong and vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25.5 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 42 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About             4.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Between 144A and 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes             parallel to slightly convergent.         -   Texture, upper and lower surface.—Fine pubescence; veins             prominent on lower surface.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Darker than 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147A to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 147B; towards the margin, close to 147A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 147B to 147C; towards the             margin, close to 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage. Ray florets arranged acropetally on             a capitulum. Inflorescence slightly fragrant; pleasant.             Typically grown as a natural spray type.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early flowering habit; plants             exposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions             followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions             flower about eight weeks later.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about four weeks in an interior             environment.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about twelve             inflorescences develop per lateral stem.         -   lnflorescence bud.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             7.5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Darker than 141A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.3 cm. Diameter of disc: No disc florets observed.             Receptacle height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About             6 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 146B.         -   Ray forets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Orientation: Initially             upright, then with development, close to 45° from vertical.             Aspect: Initially incurved, then mostly flat. Length: About             3 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Apex: Emarginate or rounded. Base:             Attenuate; short corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number             of ray florets per inflorescence: About 185 arranged in             numerous whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 155D overlain with close to 72A; with             development, close to 155D more faintly overlain with close             to 72A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 155D underlain with close to 77A; with development, close             to 155D more faintly underlain with close to 72A.         -   Disc florets.—None observed.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 24             arranged in three whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About             4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, waxy.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:             Close to 141A. Color, lower surface: Darker than 141A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: First peduncle: About 2.2 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 2.6 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 4.3 cm.             Diameter (first peduncle): About 2 mm. Angle: About 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 9A. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:             Close to 145D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Regal Yojamestown’ as illustrated and described. 